The quiet mountain village of Jinbu, nestled at the foot of Odaesan, will set aside its usual tranquility this weekend for a Zumba dance festival.
The third Odaesan Zumba Competition will be held Saturday and Sunday in the streets of Jinbu-myeon. The only street-based Zumba festival of its kind in the country, the event has been drawing a growing number of participants from across South Korea and abroad.
To keep the heat in check, organizers — true to Pyeongchang's identity as a Winter Olympics host — will deploy two large snow-making machines and dozens of sprinklers spraying water continuously throughout the event.
Water cannons will also shoot powerful jets into the air, giving the festival the feel of an outdoor water party.
This year's event has grown to 52 competing teams. Alongside the main Zumba competition, organizers will hold a youth dance showcase, JINBU ON THE STAGE, and the Odaesan National Youth Trot Music Festival.
The stage has been upgraded as well. A larger LED screen will be installed so audiences in every seat can watch the competing Zumba clubs perform, and both the sound system and lighting will be more elaborate than in previous years.
Waiting between team rounds will not be dull, either. The space in front of the stage has been expanded so spectators can join in and follow along with the dancers.
The festival kicks off Saturday at 3 p.m. with a warm-up showcase, followed by the 52-team Zumba competition. A masterclass will then be led by SNS — Jennifer (Kim Na-young), Kim Su-yeon and Jeon Seo-young, known as idols of the Zumba world — and by Rony (Seo Hui-ji), winner of the ZUMBA Next Rising Presenter 2023. Taiwan's leading Zumba instructors J-Lin and Jacky will also take the stage as special guests.
![A Zumba dance performance [provided by Jin Academy]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/07/03/news-p.v1.20260703.697808d9d4764bd2b327b6ab3650af81_P1.jpg)
The event runs from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and snacks and draft beer will be provided free of charge near the stage to keep participants fueled throughout the day.
The Jinbu-myeon Prosperity Association, which organized the event together with the Pyeongchang Trout Festival Committee, will also distribute 3,000-won local gift vouchers to registered Zumba participants. The vouchers can be used like cash at restaurants and shops in Jinbu-myeon.
Hwang Bong-gu, chairman of the Jinbu-myeon Prosperity Association, explained why the organization decided to offer hundreds of Zumba enthusiasts gift vouchers, snacks and free beer. "We prepared this not only to share the warm, generous spirit of our mountain village, but also to let visitors taste the flavors of Jinbu-myeon — home to one of Korea's largest kimchi-making festivals," he said.
abc@heraldcorp.com
